Linus Pauling

Linus Pauling (born February 28 1901; died August 19, 1994) was a Nobel Prize winning scientist.

In 1954 he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his "research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances." He was also the winner of the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize. In the presentation speech, the Chairman of the Nobel Committee, Gunnar Jahn stated that "ever since 1946 [Pauling] has campaigned ceaselessly, not only against nuclear weapons tests, not only against the spread of these armaments, not only against their very use, but against all warfare as a means of solving international conflicts."

Pauling is one of only two people to have earned Nobels in two different fields


 * Member, Committee of 100 for Tibet
 * Former Board of Sponsors, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Pauling and tobacco
Dr. Pauling drew the attention of tobacco companies for statements he made about the relative dangers of cigarette smoking. Pauling said that a pack-a-day smoker cuts his life expectancy by eight years, a two-pack-a-day smoker by 16 years, and that smoking one cigarette reduces life expectancy by 14.4 to 14.8 minutes. He also said and that a nonsmoker is three times as safe flying in a jet liner as a person sitting at home smoking a cigarette.